Wireless communication network system, wireless communication station, wireless communication device, and battery consumption smoothing method

1. A wireless communication network system comprising:

a first wireless communication device; and

a plurality of second wireless communication devices, wherein

the first wireless communication device is configured to select a master device from among the plurality of second wireless communication devices, on the basis of reception quality information and storage battery remaining levels of the plurality of second wireless communication devices, and to send, to the selected master device, a master device request notification and storage battery remaining level threshold information for the master device;

a selected second wireless communication device selected as the master device from among the plurality of second wireless communication devices, is configured to operate as the master device in accordance with the master device request notification, and to monitor the storage battery remaining level of the selected second wireless communication device on the basis of the storage battery remaining level threshold information;

when the storage battery remaining level of the selected second wireless communication device does not match the storage battery remaining level threshold information, the selected second wireless communication device sends a master device change request to the first wireless communication device; and

the first wireless communication device is configured to determine the storage battery remaining level threshold information for the master device on the basis of the reception quality information and the storage battery remaining level of the selected second wireless communication device.

2. The wireless communication network system according to claim 1 , wherein

the first wireless communication device sends a test signal to the plurality of second wireless communication devices when the master device change request is received;

the first wireless communication device is configured to receive, from each of the plurality of second wireless communication devices that has received the test signal, a response signal including the reception quality information of the test signal and the storage battery remaining level of the corresponding second wireless communication device; and

the first wireless communication device is configured to select a new master device from among the plurality of second wireless communication devices that are transmission sources of the response signal.

3. The wireless communication network system according to claim 2 , wherein

the first wireless communication device is configured to determine, as a master device candidate, the second wireless communication device whose storage battery remaining level is greater than or equal to a certain level, among the plurality of second wireless communication devices that are the transmission sources of the response signal.

4. The wireless communication network system according to claim 1 , wherein

the selected second wireless communication device is configured to collect data from other second wireless communication devices among the plurality of second wireless communication devices, and to send the data to the first wireless communication device.

5. The wireless communication network system according to claim 1 , wherein

the first wireless communication device is connected to a power transmission line provided with a communication channel.

6. The wireless communication network system according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the plurality of second wireless communication devices includes a meter for measuring an energy usage amount.

7. A wireless communication station, comprising:

a processor; and

a wireless communication circuit, wherein

the wireless communication circuit is configured to receive, from a plurality of wireless communication devices, reception quality information and storage battery remaining level information of the plurality of wireless communication devices;

the processor is configured to perform a process including

selecting a master device from among the plurality of wireless communication devices on the basis of the reception quality information and the storage battery remaining level information,

determining a storage battery remaining level threshold value for the selected master device, on the basis of the reception quality information and the storage battery remaining level information of a selected wireless communication device selected as the master device from among the plurality of wireless communication devices, and

generating a master device request notification including the storage battery remaining level threshold value; and

the wireless communication circuit is configured to send the master device request notification to the selected master device.

8. The wireless communication station according to claim 7 , wherein

the process performed by the processor includes generating a test signal when the wireless communication circuit receives a master device change request from the selected master device;

the wireless communication circuit is configured to send the test signal to the plurality of wireless communication devices, and receive a response signal to the test signal from one or more of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

the process performed by the processor further includes selecting a new master device from among the plurality of wireless communication devices, on the basis of the reception quality information and the storage battery remaining level information of the one or more of the plurality of wireless communication devices that are transmission sources of the response signal, the response signal including the reception quality information and the storage battery remaining level information.

9. The wireless communication station according to claim 8 , wherein

the process performed by the processor further includes determining, as a master device candidate, a wireless communication device whose storage battery remaining level is greater than or equal to a certain level, among the one or more of the plurality of wireless communication devices that are the transmission sources of the response signal.

10. The wireless communication station according to claim 7 , wherein

the wireless communication station is connected to a power transmission line provided with a communication channel.

11. A battery consumption smoothing method performed in a wireless communication network system including a first wireless communication device and a plurality of second wireless communication devices, the battery consumption smoothing method comprising:

selecting, by the first wireless communication device, a master device from among the plurality of second wireless communication devices, on the basis of reception quality information and storage battery remaining levels of the plurality of second wireless communication devices;

sending, from the first wireless communication device to the selected master device, a master unit request notification and storage battery remaining level threshold information for the master device;

operating as the master device in accordance with the master device request notification, by a selected second wireless communication device selected as the master device from among the plurality of second wireless communication devices, and monitoring the storage battery remaining level of the selected second wireless communication device on the basis of the storage battery remaining level threshold information;

sending, by the selected second wireless communication device, a master device change request to the first wireless communication device, when the storage battery remaining level of the selected second wireless communication device does not match the storage battery remaining level threshold information; and

determining, by the first wireless communication device, the storage battery remaining level threshold information for the master device on the basis of the reception quality information and the storage battery remaining level of the selected second wireless communication device.

12. The battery consumption smoothing method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

sending, by the first wireless communication device, a test signal to the plurality of second wireless communication devices when the master device change request is received,

receiving, by the first wireless communication device, from each of the plurality of second wireless communication devices that has received the test signal, a response signal including the reception quality information of the test signal and the storage battery remaining level of the corresponding second wireless communication device, and

selecting, by the first wireless communication device, a new master device from among the plurality of second wireless communication devices that are transmission sources of the response signal.

13. The battery consumption smoothing method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

determining, by the first wireless communication device, as a master device candidate, the second wireless communication device whose storage battery remaining level is greater than or equal to a certain level, among the plurality of second wireless communication devices that are the transmission sources of the response signal.

14. The battery consumption smoothing method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

collecting, by the selected second wireless communication device, data from other second wireless communication devices among the plurality of second wireless communication devices, and sending the data to the first wireless communication device.